Building for the future with 3D technology

Thursday 15th February 2018

Construction is one of a number of industries which has been transformed by advances in digital technology in recent years. There is undoubtedly room for further progress but the Building Consultancy team at Naylors has embraced the opportunity with investment in technology and training.

David Straughan, associate director at Naylors explains how the firm’s use of 3D technology can help in the design and construction of development projects, as well as the ongoing management of properties once they are complete.

Design Over the past ten years there has been a significant rise in the use of Building Information Modelling (BIM) and 3D design tools to help accurately record the individual components of a building. At Naylors, our use of such technology also enables us to better illustrate new project designs to individual stakeholders and design team at an early stage.

By designing in a 3D environment, it gives us greater control of the building documentation. By overlaying the design with existing data, we can see how the completed project will look in relation to its surroundings.

Improved efficiency By designing in 3D we can ensure coordination of information where changes are made. For example, should the position or specification of a wall change, we can ensure that the details are amended universally.

To ensure better document control and ongoing project coordination, we can also automatically produce information such as door and window schedules, calculate room areas, and material take offs.

Construction Whether a new build or refurbishment, once the project has commenced on site, accurate documentation and reporting is critical. Verification of the works based on comprehensive documentation is essential to reduce the amount of time spent rectifying works due to error. For example, it’s easier to deal with electrical and plumbing issues before lining walls and stud partitions with plaster board have been fitted.

Given this, stakeholders such as the general contractor and owner, require robust documentation at important milestones to verify that the construction adheres to the required standards, designs and performance specification.

At Naylors, we are able to create an interactive 3D experience that is considerably easier to manage than thousands of 2D photos. Following an inspection of the construction works, we can deliver a fully immersive 3D environment which includes a visual list of defects and identifies the exact location of any problems, which improves communication and efficiency on site.

Facilities Management Good quality information, which is recorded during the construction phase, helps to facilitate effective property management once the building is complete. For example, where concealed services are located behind fixed finishes, they can be easily identified and appropriate information provided.

This information can all be incorporated within the 3D environment at an early stage assisting in the development of the operation manual for the facilities management team. In the months and years that follow, this vastly improves the quality of the maintenance being carried out and can save valuable time and money for the building owner and occupier reducing defects in the long term.

Your Commercial Property People for the North East. Established for over 25 years, we are a highly regarded firm of Chartered Surveyors and Commercial Property Consultants based in Newcastle upon Tyne.